A school system official said a variety of factors may have helped Douglas County seniors score 21 points higher in 2012 than in 2011. Douglas County’s 2012 systemwide average was 1373, compared to 1352 last year, said Pam Nail, associate superintendent for student achievement and leadership.

“There’s not one particular reason,” she said.

System officials work to make students aware of such materials as the PSAT, which can be used to prepare the student for the SAT, Nail said.

However, the test is a reasoning test, not an indicator of learning, Nail noted. It is a standardized entrance exam many colleges and universities use to determine chances for success at the college level, she said.

According to results from the Douglas County School System and the Georgia Department of Education, this year’s results showed:

- The systemwide average score of 1373 included a 466 in reading, 461 in math, and 446 in writing.

- Alexander High School recorded the highest average among Douglas County schools this year, scoring a 1418 overall – up from 1406 in 2011. Its students scored higher in all three areas compared to 2011.

- Douglas County High School recorded an average of 1401 overall, which was a slight decrease from 1406 in 2011. It decreased slightly in reading and writing, but increased in math.

- Chapel Hill scored an overall average of 1384, which was a 59-point jump from 1325 in 2011. Its students saw increases in all three areas.

- New Manchester had an overall average score of 1276 in its first year of recording SAT scores. It was below the countywide average in all three areas.

- Lithia Springs showed an overall average of 1264 in 2012, up slightly from 1260 in 2011. It saw slight increases in reading and math, but a slight decrease in writing.

Douglas County School System’s overall average was below the state average of 1453 and U.S. average of 1498.

Nail said the new Common Core Standards implemented in all Georgia public high schools will help Douglas County students become better critical thinkers, she said.

“This is definitely going to help with a test like the SAT,” Nail said. “Teachers continue to focus on higher-order thinking skills, or more critical skills, to help students do a better job.”

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